Nisha Pillai

Nisha Pillai current presenter of ‘Asia Today’ for BBC World News uses her vast media experience as a motivational speaker, corporate facilitator and coach to senior executives at the London Business School. Her engaging style links her own skills and knowledge to her audience leaving you motivated and inspired.

Nisha Pillai started her career at Schroders, before moving into journalism on The Investors Chronicle and joining the BBC.

After winning a Royal Television Society award for her nine month investigation into Robert Maxwell’s financial empire, she moved to the flagship award-winning current affairs show Panorama and the Money Programme and then to BBC World. Nisha has led live location coverage of the Indian elections and the 50th anniversary of Pakistan’s Independence. She also hosted live interactive debates between audiences in America, Pakistan and Jordon.

Nisha has presented the BBC’s flagship interview programme HARDtalk, with guests ranging from the late Sir Yehudi Menuhin and VS Naipaul to Phil Collins.

Aside from broadcasting Nisha teaches presentation skills to senior executives at London Business School. She also records podcast interviews with economists and research analysts for a US ratings agency.

Nisha takes her audiences on a journey drawing on the highs and lows of her BBC career. From the terrors of reporting on 9/11 to the thrill of witnessing the launch of the Large Hadron Collider, plus plenty of famous faces and places along the way. Her recent events include working with Kofi Annan where she acted as moderator at the annual conference of the Global Humanitarian Forum, Master of Ceremonies at the launch of a new academic institution at MIT, host for over 3,000 partners at Ernst & Young conference and chair of a ministerial round table on African agriculture at the World Bank to name a few.

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Testimonials

“On 10 September 2008, CERN launched a new research machine, the Large Hadron Collider in what was possibly the most visible scientific event in history. Nisha Pillai played a vital role in the launch, teaming up with a member of CERN staff to provide a stimulating running commentary for the first nine hours of the start up process. This was webcast around the world. Nisha’s job was to make good television out of an event at the cutting edge of one of the most esoteric of sciences, and which furthermore did not benefit from the kind of visual imagery of space programmes: in a way, she made gripping television without pictures. Through a combination of careful explanations of the event and an ability to convey a genuine sense of excitement, Nisha succeeded brilliantly.” James Gillies, Director of Communications, CERN, Geneva.

“I would like to thank you personally for your contribution in making our EMEIA partners conference such a success. You brought a great deal of warmth and energy to your role as host and your professionalism in handling multiple hand-overs and last-minute changes was particularly welcome! I would also like to thank you for the coaching your gave to (two E & Y partners). We have received excellent feedback on their session and I know they really appreciated the help you gave them with both their content and delivery. “Mark Otty, Area Managing Partner, Ernst & Young.

“I want to thank you sincerely for your brilliant contribution to the Ministerial Roundtable, during the AGM08. There is no way the Ministerial Roundtable would be successful without your competent absorption of the issues and your skillful handling of the discussion. Your ability to infuse energy and solicit participation from the audience was masterful. We always envisaged an open inclusive discussion with African leaders and the participants of AGM, and you delivered just that. I need not remind you of the accolades from President Obasanjo – he spoke best for us when he complemented you on a job well done.” Alystra Antoine, CGIAR, World Bank.

“Thank you for carrying out such a smooth event – managing the glitches, the time issues, the near ‘speeches’ and the diverse opinions – with such good cheer and dynamic participation. That bit I have started taking as a given. More importantly, your very quick mind ensured perfect digestion of the material and ensured that the many-layered content of the report got a good airing.”Anuradha Rajivan, United Nations Development Programme.

“Nisha Pillai served as the master of ceremonies for the inaugural conference sponsored by the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Featuring an unprecedented five Nobel Prize winning economists, as well as entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world, this was a unique event that required a best-in-class moderator. This is exactly how Nisha performed. She began the morning with an opening that set the tone for the rest of the day, and in the process energized the audience and trained their attention on the event’s objectives. As a moderator of panels in the morning and afternoon, she asked probing questions that engaged the panelists in a discussion among themselves and with the audience. This is the very type of interactivity that made our event special. At the conclusion, Nisha delivered a summation that connected the panels together in an engaging and thoughtful way, providing the ideal end to the event. Nisha receives our very highest recommendation to serve as a moderator or Master of Ceremonies.” Michael Maltese, MD, Legatum Centre for Development & Entrepreneurship, MIT.

“I found it a real pleasure and, may I add, a great satisfaction to see you moderating at our Global Humanitarian Forum in Geneva. I am certain I am expressing the opinions of all the 300 participants at the meeting in telling you how effective, forceful and charming you were in your role. When the meeting flagged, you brought it to life with humor, wit or a pointed remark. When the meeting threatened to get out of hand with too many articulate people wanting to speak at the same time, you calmed things down and pushed the discussion along in the right direction. You were largely responsible for the successful tempo and tone of our initial annual conference and I wish to thank you warmly for your work.“Kofi Annan.